Toilet tissue holder

ABSTRACT

A toilet tissue holder has a substantially flat body portion provided on one end portion with an integral clamping means for engaging a portion of a toilet bowl and dispose the body portion in a substantially horizontal position with the other end portion thereof being laterally extended from the bowl and having means for holding a roll of toilet tissue.

United States Patent 1191 Bauman Apr. 23, 1974 [5 TOILET TISSUE HOLDER 2,896,895 7/1959 Speese 242/552 x [76] Inventor: Arthur E. Bauman, 764 Johnston Akron Ohm 44306- 3,482,796 12/1969 Tucker 242/552 3,523,653 8/1970 Hansen 242/5554 X [22] 1972 2,590,793 3/1952 Rigstad 211/88 [21] APPI' 225526 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 449,096 6/1948 Canada 242/5553 [52] US. Cl. 242/55.2, 4/1 [51 1 Cl. Prima y Examiner George F. Mautz [58] Field of Search 242/552, 55.3, 55.53, Attorney, Agent, or Fi h A Mawhinney 242/5554, 55.55; 312/39-41; D6/96, 97; 248/226, 230, 309, 226 A, 310; 4/1, 243, [57] ABSTRACT 247; 21 N88; 108/28 32 A toilet tissue holder has a substantially flat body por- [561 5;;122213221130ffi igfigfiiiiloliila1;EEiiii UNITED STATES PATENTS and dispose the body .portion in a substantially horil,224,l06 4/1917 GOOd 242/5554 zonta] position the other end portion thereof being laterally extended from the bowl and having arm 2,673,693 3/1954 Gray 242/552 means for holdmg a of nssue' 2,739,840 3/1956 Anderson 242/5555 X 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures TOILET TISSUE HOLDER CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a companion application to my application Ser. No. 225,547 filed concurrently herewith and entitled Toilet Tissue Holder and Shelf Combination.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally appertains to new and novel improvements in holders for dispensing rolled sheet material and is particularly directed to a new and novel holder and dispenser for rolls of toilet tissue.

2. State of the Prior Art There are many and varied known types of holders and dispensers for toilet tissue in rolled form but, in the. main, most of such holders suffer from the disadvantage that they are or must become a permanent part of the wall of a bathroom or of a supporting structure forming part of the enclosure for the water closet. In addition, knowri'holders are not formed or mounted so that they can dispose a roll of toilet tissue in the most convenient proximity to the toilet bowl and so that they can serve additional purposes, such as supporting articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object of the present invention is to provide a holder for a roll of toilet tissue that can be detachably but reliably supported by a part of the water closet structureitself, such as the toilet bowl, and that, in such supported position, can dispose a roll of toilet tissue for convenient and easy access by a user.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a water closet supported toilet tissue holder that also can function as a support for articles apart froma roll of toilet tissue.

Generally considered, the present invention includes a substantially flat body portion that can be formed from any suitable sturdy and inexpensive materials, such as plastics. The body portion is elongated and has opposing end portions with one end portion being formed on one face of the body portion with a clamping means that is adapted to engage a part of a toilet bowl, such as' the rim, and thereby mountingly dispose the body portion in a horizontal position with the opposing end portion laterally projected outwardly away from the bowl. In various fashions, such as upstanding, inwardly or outwardly directed, or depending, a roll of toilet tissue is supported by a holding means formed on the outer end portion. The middle section of the body portion between its end portions can serve at the upper face of the body portion as a shelf type support for various articles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of tissue holder of the present invention, showing the same mounted on.the rim of a conventional toilet bowl which is shown in perspective.

FIG. 2 is front elevational view of another form of holder in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a modified form of holder showing the same mounted in place on the bowl rim, which is shown in fragmentary vertical section.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another form of holder, in accordance with the present invention, and

showing the same mounted on the top of the back wall of the toilet bowl.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of a modified form of holder of the type shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of another form of holder in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective showing of another form of holder in accordance with the present invention, with the holder being shown mounted on the top of the back wall of the bowl in secured relation with respect to the flush pipe between the flush tank and the bowl.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a conventional toilet bowl which is part of a water closet that is not entirely shown. The bowl has a rim 12 and a flat top surface 14 over the rear wall thereof.

The holder 15 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, is composed of an elongated substantially flat body portion 16 that has opposing end portions 18 and 20. The body portion is positioned horizontally with relation to the bowl and in such placement has a lower face 22 and an upper face 24. The end portion 18 constitutes an inner end portion-and on its lower or under face it is provided with a supporting means 26 that is adapted to engage the rim 12 of the bowl and dispose the body portion 16 securely in a horizontal position with the outer end portion 20 projected laterally from the bowl and disposed outwardly thereform a suitable distance.

The supporting means 26 preferably is integrally associated with the body portion and, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a pair of depending ribs 28 and 30 that are spaced part in vertical dependency from, the lower face 22. The ribs are laterally spaced apart a sufficient distance that is substantially equal to the cross-sectional thickness or width of the bowl rim so that the rim is frictionally gripped by the ribs, as shown in FIG. 1.

The body portion 16 is of a minimal thickness, that is exaggerated in the drawing, so that the seat (not shown) can properly rest on the rim. This is especially true of the bridging portion between theribs, that is, the portion that can be said to provide a bight portion between the ribs in the formation of what may be considered a U-shaped clamping arrangement.

The outer end portion 20 supports an upstanding dowel 32 on which a usual roll of toilettissue 34 is disposed for rotatable movement in the dispensing of the sheets of toilet tissue. Between the end portions, there is a center section 36 which, on the upper face 24, can serve as a shelf means for supporting various articles.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the holder has a body portion 16a, on the inner end portion 18a of which is a supporting means 26a wherein the outer rib 28a has an inturned lip 38 on its lower free end. The lip faces the opposing rib 30d. Such rib construction is provided in the instance where the rim of the bowl has an inner 3 lower edge so' that the rib 28a can clamp under the lower edge. The lip' may be perforated so as not to interfer with the flow of flush water from the orifices in the loweredge of the rim. V

The outer end portion 40 of the body portion 16a is turned upwardly so as to be disposed substantially normal to the upper'face of the body portion. The inner face of such upturned end portion is provided with a horizontally projecting dowel 42 that overlies the upper face of the body portion and on which a roll of tissue 44 is rotatably held by an end cap 46 removably fitted on'the outer endof the dowel.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lip 38 can be provided with upstanding'teeth 46 of a size and shape to fit in the flush orifices 48 in-the lower inner edge 49 of the rim 12 in the instance where a more secure grip of the rim by the ribs is desired; In this arrangement, the inner rib 30b is shortened and more pointed like a tooth and is slanted inwardly and downwardly, as shown in the drawing.

In the form of FIG. 3, the holding means for a roll of tissue 50 comprises a pair of arms 52 and 54 that depend in spaced apart, parallel relation from the under face of the outer end portion 56 of the body portion.

The arms have inner confronting faces on which annular proturbances 58 are formed for the rotatable reception of the ends of the core 60 for the tissue roll 50. The upper face or surface 62 of the outer end portion 56 provides a shelf space.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the body portion 16b is adapted to fit on and span the flat top surface 14 of the bowl so that it lies at the back of the bowl instead of at either side, as in the instance of the holders of FIGS. l-3. The body portion 16b has its under face provided at the inner end portion and about at its center with depending ribs 64 that grip the outer sides of the back wall below the top surface 14. The outer end portion 66 projects laterally from the top surface and is turned upwardly at an obtuse angle. A dowel 68 projects inwardly and upwardly from the upwardly and outwardly inclined face of the upturned end portion and is adapted to rotatably support a roll of toilet tissue 70.

If needed, the ribs 64 can be provided on their free lower edges with inturned lips 72, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the. ribs can grip under the flange of the rim at the back wall of the bowl. In such instance, the ribs are slanted in parallel relation.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, wherein the body portion 160 is adapted to fit on the back wall, in the manner shown in FIG. 4, the inner end portion has a depending rib 74 that is slanted away from the under face of the body portion and terminates in an inturned lip 76. This rib cooperates with a depending arm or wall 78 on the under face of the body portion in gripping the sides of the top surface of the back wall of the bowl.

The outer face of the wall 78 carries an outstanding dowel 80 on which the roll of tissue 82 is disposed. The upper face 84 of the outer end portion serves as a shelf means.

In the embodiment of FIG. 7, the inner end portion 86 of the body portion 16d has an axial slot 88 formed therein for engaging'the flush pipe 90 between the tank (not shown) and the bowl 10. Cooperating with the slotted inner end in positioning and maintaining the body portion on the top wall 14 is a rib 92 provided on the under face of the body portion. The outer end portion 94 is turned up normal to the upper face of the body'portion andhas a dowel 96 projecting inwardly from its inner face. The space on the upper face of the body portion inwardly of the dowel constitutes a shelf space. I

It can thus be seen that in all of the forms of holders described herein and shown in the drawing, the body portion is mounted on the rim at one of the sides or at the back of the bowl and has an outer end portion that projects laterally from a side or the back of the bowl in an unobtrusive manner and that supports by various types of holding means a roll of toilet tissue. Inwardly of the tissue holding means the body portion has space on its upper face that defines a shelf space for support ing various articles.

Of course, while the best known forms of the present invention have been described herein and shown in the drawing, it is obvious that changes can be made therein so that the inventivejconcept is only restricted by the spirit and terms of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For attachment to a toilet bowl having a rim portion provided with an inner flanged edge having flush orifices, a one-piece holder for toilet tissue comprising a substantially elongated body portion having upper and lower opposing faces and inner and outer opposing end portions, a pair of laterally spaced apart ribs integrally formed on the lower face of the body portion at the inner end portion thereof and extending perpendicularly from said face for clampingly engaging the rim portion with said ribs being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rim portion so as to straddle the same and thereby dispose the body portion in a substantially horizontal position so that the outer end portion thereof is spaced laterally outwardly from the bowl, holding means for toilet tissue provided on said outer end portion with said upper face of the body portion intermediate the inner and outer end portions constituting a shelf on which articles can be seated and one of said ribs having means for gripping under the inner flanged edge on the rim portion.

2. The invention of claim 1 including means on said one of the ribs for engaging the flush orifices in the said edge. 

1. For attachment to a toilet bowl having a rim portion provided with An inner flanged edge having flush orifices, a one-piece holder for toilet tissue comprising a substantially elongated body portion having upper and lower opposing faces and inner and outer opposing end portions, a pair of laterally spaced apart ribs integrally formed on the lower face of the body portion at the inner end portion thereof and extending perpendicularly from said face for clampingly engaging the rim portion with said ribs being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rim portion so as to straddle the same and thereby dispose the body portion in a substantially horizontal position so that the outer end portion thereof is spaced laterally outwardly from the bowl, holding means for toilet tissue provided on said outer end portion with said upper face of the body portion intermediate the inner and outer end portions constituting a shelf on which articles can be seated and one of said ribs having means for gripping under the inner flanged edge on the rim portion.
 2. The invention of claim 1 including means on said one of the ribs for engaging the flush orifices in the said edge. 